Apparatus with adjustable base

ABSTRACT

A base-adjustable apparatus includes a main device, a base plate attached on the underside of the main device and a pivot shaft. The main device defines at least two holes therebottom. The base plate has a front section defining a through hole and a rear section formed with at least one bolt to be received in the respective hole of the main device. The pivot shaft is rotatably received in the through hole of the base plate and extends outside the underside of the base plate. Moreover, the pivot shaft has one end fixed on the underside of the main device and the other end blocked outside the through hole. The length of the pivot shaft extends to such an extent that the pivot shaft together with the main body is allowed to be lifted up to a predetermined height limit higher than the bolt and be rotated.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This is a continuation-application of co-pending application Ser. No. 11/316,937, filed on Dec. 27, 2005, now U.S. Patent Application No. 2006/0139867.

BACKGROUND OF INVENTION

1. Field of Invention

This invention relates generally to a base-adjustable apparatus, and more particularly to an apparatus with an adjustable base, which shortens the distance between the main device of the apparatus and an adjacent wall for space saving.

2. Related Prior Art

As shown in FIG. 7, a conventional apparatus 7 is composed of a thin main device 71 and a relative wider base plate 72. The base plate 72 is attached on the underside of the main device 71 to support and protect the main device 71 from falling. In this way, the thin main device 71 can be firmly straightened up.

Typically, the main device 71 is limited to stand in the middle area of the base plate 72 with two side extensions 720 of the base plate 72 exposed outside, as shown in FIG. 7. When the apparatus 7 approaches to a wall 5, there must be a space wasted between the main device 7 and the wall 5 since the main device 71 is not allowed to move any closer to the wall 5 due to the limit of the side extensions 720 of the base plate 72. It is clear that the conventional apparatus 7 using the two side extensions 720 for supporting the main device 71 takes up a lot of space.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION

The primary objective of the present invention is to provide an apparatus with an adjustable base in order to shorten the distance between its main device and a wall for space saving.

The adjustable base is a base plate configured to be attached on the underside of the main device. The base plate has a front section defining a through hole therein and a rear section formed with at least one bolt thereon. The bolt stands out from the top of the base plate to be received in the respective one of the holes defined in the underside of the main device.

In particular, the apparatus further includes a pivot shaft rotatably received in the through hole of the base plate in order to have the main device be rotatable with respect to the base plate. The pivot shaft extends outside the underside of the base plate and has one end fixed on the underside of the main device and the other end formed with a head having a width greater than the diameter of the through hole of the base plate to be blocked outside the through hole. In addition, the length of the pivot shaft extends to such an extent that the pivot shaft together with the main body is allowed to be lifted up to a predetermined height limit higher than the bolt. While in use, the main body can be lifted up and then be rotated about the pivot shaft with respect to the base plate to another position where the main body is closer to the wall to save space, and then laid down with the bolt of the base plate being inserted into another suitable one of the holes in the underside of the main device for positioning.

More particularly, the rear section of the base plate is fork-shaped to include two opposite protruding portions. Therefore, the main device can be adjusted to a desired position away from the middle line of the base plate with its rear end laid at either one of the two protruding portions. The fork-shaped rear section of the base plate provides excellent weight balance for the main device.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

The invention is illustrated by the accompanying drawings in which corresponding parts are identified by the same numerals and in which:

FIG. 1 is an explosive perspective view of a base-adjustable apparatus according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2A is a front view of the base-adjustable apparatus, showing that the main device is placed in the middle line of the base plate;

FIG. 2B is a top view of FIG. 2A;

FIG. 3A is a front view of the base-adjustable apparatus, showing that the main device is adjusted rightward to a position away from the middle line to come near a right side wall;

FIG. 3B is a top view of FIG. 3A;

FIG. 4A is a front view of the base-adjustable apparatus, showing that the main device is adjusted leftward to a position away from the middle line to come near a left side wall;

FIG. 4B is a top view of FIG. 4A;

FIG. 5 is a partial cross sectional view of the base-adjustable apparatus;

FIG. 6 is a partial cross sectional view of the base-adjustable apparatus, showing that the main device is lifted up with respect to the base plate to a predetermined height limit; and

FIG. 7 is a prior art.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

As shown in FIG. 1, a base-adjustable apparatus is disclosed according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention. The apparatus generally includes a main device 1, a base plate 2 attached on the underside of the main device 1 and a pivot shaft 3 enabling the main device 1 to rotate with respect to the base plate 2. The main device 1 may be a computer host, an electric device or any instrument in need to be straightened up. With the help of the base plate 2, the main device 1 can be firmly straightened up without falling easily.

Referring to FIG. 1, the base plate 2 has a front section 20 on one end and a fork-shaped rear section 23, coplanar with the front section 20, on the other end. The front section 20 of the base plate 2 defines a through hole 200 therein to receive the pivot shaft 3. The pivot shaft 3 is composed of an upper elongated section 31 and a lower screw 32 screwed onto a bottom of the elongated section 31 in a line. On the other hand, the fork-shaped rear section 23 of the base plate 2 has two supporting portions 21, 22 on opposite sides respectively.

Additionally, the elongated portion 31 of the pivot shaft 3 has one end fixed on the underside of the main device 1 and the other end defining a threaded hole 310 therein for engagement with a threaded portion 322 of the screw 32, as best shown in FIG. 5. The screw 32 is substantially mounted on the base plate 2 via the elongated section 31 and has a head 320, a smooth portion 321 extending from the head 320 and the threaded portion 322 extending from the smooth portion 321. As can be seen in FIGS. 5 and 6, when the screw 32 is screwed onto the elongated section 31, the head 320 of the screw 32 is blocked outside the through hole 200 since the width of the head 320 is greater than the diameter of the through hole 200 of the base plate 2.

Referring back to FIG. 1, the main device 1 defines at least two holes in the underside thereof. In this preferred embodiment, there are three holes 40 defined in the underside of the main device 1 and are arranged in an arc centered about the elongated section 31 of the pivot shaft 3. On the other hand, there are three bolts 41 formed on top of the rear section 23 of the base plate 2 corresponding to the holes 40 of the main device 1. Likewise, the three bolts 41 of the base plate 2 are arranged in an arc centered about the through hole 200 in the base plate 2 where the screw 32 of the pivot shaft 3 is received. It should be understood that one bolt, instead of three bolts, is still fine in another example. However, the three bolts 41 as disclosed in this preferred embodiment enable the main device 1 to be straightened up more firmly.

When the screw 32 passes through the through hole 200 of the base plate 2 and is screwed onto the elongated section 32, as depicted in FIG. 5, the pivot shaft 3 has a total length greater than the depth of the through hole 200. As such, the pivot shaft 3 is normally extends outside the underside of the base plate 2 and rotatably received in the through hole 200 of the base plate 2. Furthermore, the total length of the pivot shaft 3 extends to such an extent that the pivot shaft 3 together with the main body 1 is allowed to be lifted up to a predetermined height limit H higher than the bolt 41, as shown in FIG. 6. Note that the height limit H is confined due to the head 320 being blocked outside the through hole 200 in the base plate 2, which ensures that the main device 1 will not easily depart from the base plate 2 before loosening the screw 32 of the elongated section 31. Additionally, the base plate 2 is formed with a pair of limiting pillars 210, 220 on the two distal ends of the fork-shaped rear section 23 to protect the main device 1 from dropping off the base plate 2.

FIGS. 2A and 2B illustrate that the main device 1 is located on a middle line of the base plate 2 with the two supporting portions 21, 22 equally exposed outside the main device 1.

While in use, the main device 1 can be first lifted up to the predetermined height limit H and then be rotated a certain degree with respect to the base plate 2, as shown in FIGS. 3A and 3B, in order to draw near to a right side wall 5. After that, the main device 1 can be laid down with the two right side bolts 41 of the base plate 2 being wedged into two left side holes 40. At this time, the right supporting portion 21 is relatively less exposed and the space between the right side of the main device 1 and the wall 5 is greatly reduced. Note that, in the meanwhile, the right limiting pillar 210 is positioned exactly abutting against the right side of the main device 1, which greatly helps to prevent the main device 1 from coming off the base plate 2.

Alternatively, as shown in FIGS. 4A and 4B, the main device 1 is adjusted to pivot leftward a certain degree on the pivot shaft 3 such that two left side bolts 41 of the base plate 2 are wedged into two right side holes 40 and therefore the left supporting portion 22 is relative less exposed. Further, the left limiting pillar 220 abuts against the left side of the main device 1 to prevent the main device 1 from coming off the base plate 2. The space between the left side of the main device 1 and the left side wall 6 is greatly reduced.

FIG. 5 shows a more detailed illustration of the through hole 200 defined by an annular inward flange 201 of the base plate 2. The threaded portion 322 of the screw 32 passes through the through hole 200 and is screwed into the threaded hole 310 of the elongated section 31. The smooth portion 321 of the screw 32 has smooth surfaces and is provided for rotating and sliding up and down within the through hole 200 of the base plate 2. As mentioned earlier, the head 320 is blocked outside the underside of the flange 201 and therefore limits a sliding range when the main device 1 is lifted up.

As noted above, without the need to loosen the screw 32 of the elongated section 31, the main device 1 can be lifted up to the predetermined height limit H which is higher than that of the bolts 41, but lower than the limiting pillar 220. Moreover, the right limiting pillar 210 is as high as the left limiting pillar 220 as shown in FIG. 2. In this way, the main device 1 can be easily lifted up and pivoted on the pivot shaft 3 without being blocked by the setting bolts 41 but be protected by the limiting pillars 210, 220 of the base plate 2.

It will be appreciated that although a particular embodiment of the invention has been shown and described, modifications may be made. It is intended in the claims to cover such modifications which come within the spirit and scope of the invention. 

1. A base-adjustable apparatus comprising: a main device defining at least two holes in the underside thereof; a base plate configured to be attached on the underside of said main device and having a front section defining a through hole therein and a rear section formed with at least one bolt thereon to be received in the respective one of said holes of said main device; and a pivot shaft rotatably received in said through hole of said base plate and extending outside the underside of said base plate; said pivot shaft having one end fixed on the underside of said main device and the other end formed with a head having a width greater than the diameter of said through hole of said base plate to be blocked outside said through hole; and the length of said pivot shaft extends to such an extent that said pivot shaft together with said main body is allowed to be lifted up to a predetermined height limit higher than said bolt and be rotated.
 2. The base-adjustable device of claim 1, wherein said pivot shaft includes an elongated portion and a screw detachably engaged with said elongated portion in a line; said elongated portion has one end fixed on the underside of said main device and the other end defining a threaded hole therein for engagement with a threaded portion of said screw; and said screw has said head to be blocked outside said through hole of said base plate.
 3. The base-adjustable device of claim 2, wherein the rear section of said base plate is fork-shaped.
 4. The base-adjustable device of claim 3, wherein said base plate includes two pillars respectively formed on two distal ends of said fork-shaped rear section. 